CBC Radio One’s Canada Writes has returned for 2010, once again as part of the country’s favourite national radio variety show, GO!

Host Brent Bambury kicked off the annual challenge Saturday, Jan. 30, at 10:30 a.m. (11 NT).

From Jan. 30 to March 1, Canadians with a passion for words and a flair for writing are urged to submit 200 words or less in one of the following five categories: ad, blog, movie pitch, song and tweet. Submissions will only be accepted online at www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites.

On March 15, 20 entries will be selected for the audition process where entrants will be put through a series of challenges to determine the Western and Eastern semifinalists. On April 10, the Western semifinals will be broadcast from Vancouver and on April 24, the Eastern semifinals will be broadcast from Toronto. A panel of three expert judges will provide encouragement and critique the results. Canadians will also be able to play a home version of the game during the run of Canada Writes on GO!

The top four finalists, two from each regional semifinal, then head to Winnipeg to compete in one last showdown to be broadcast on Saturday, May 8, on GO!, with the winner crowned at the end of the game.

Full contest details and rules are available at www.cbc.ca/books/canadawrites. GO! airs nationally on Saturdays, at 10:30 a.m. (11 a.m. NT), on CBC Radio One.